Avoid it... if you demand absolutely coherent thematic integrity
and detest being reminded of prior classics in the genre, two issues
that John Ottman struggled with just enough in this assignment to reduce
the score in stature by a small notch.

EDITORIAL REVIEW

FILMTRACKS TRAFFIC RANK: #838

WRITTEN
2/17/13

BUY IT

Ottman

Jack the Giant Slayer: (John Ottman) The shared
concepts of the "Jack the Giant Killer" and "Jack and the Beanstalk"
fairy tales have been adapted to the big screen a number of times over
the previous century, but never had they been combined in the fashion
eventually chosen by director Bryan Singer for 2013's Jack the Giant
Slayer. The infamous farmhand at the center of these tales, Jack,
experiences portions of both adventures as he obtains a magic bean that
sprouts and lifts his house to a land of the clouds in which the
mythical giants of old England reside. In this case, the giants descend
and challenge the knights and Jack, whose is keen upon saving the
princess of the land, for the control of the entire kingdom. Featuring a
relatively minor cast, Jack the Giant Slayer (which went through
much of its production as Jack the Giant Killer) is a change of
pace for Singer and, with its relatively new photography methods, 3D
technology, and wild bevy of special effects, the project was pushed
back by Warner Brothers by a year, lengthening its overall production
lifespan to four years. Involved in Jack the Giant Slayer as an
associate producer, editor, and composer is Singer collaborator John
Ottman, whose career, after a flurry of superhero scores in the 2000's,
slowed down considerably in the 2010's. Part of his absence from the
spotlight was due to his extended duties on Jack the Giant
Slayer, which occupied two years of his attention. As the composer
for the project, he made the determination that he wanted to approach
the story from a classical standpoint, utilizing an old-fashioned
orchestral adventure mould and, in so doing, reflecting many of the same
sentiments expressed by Michael Giacchino for John Carter in
2012. Between John Carter, Andrew Lockington's Journey 2: The
Mysterious Island, and Jack the Giant Slayer, the
swashbuckling symphonic bravado of an older generation of Hollywood has
returned with satisfying force during this era, all with impressive
results. Ottman specifically sought to avoid the potential pitfalls of
this scoring assignment, avoiding "cutesy" and frivolous mechanisms
while also steering clear of a musical tone that would be taken too
seriously. Interestingly, the score was a journey for him as well, with
the main theme eluding him until late in the process and the complexity
of his product exhibiting influences from other composers whose styles
Ottman obviously cares for.

Perhaps the most intriguing attribute of Jack the Giant
Slayer is just how much the score deviates from Ottman's own
mannerisms. You do hear a few of his melodic tendencies at times, and
there are moments of suspenseful propulsion that will remind of the
highlights of his low-profile horror works, but this is music that
explores as much new complicated territory for the composer as it does
pay tribute to the great scores and composers of yesteryear. Those two
aspects of Jack the Giant Slayer are its most clearly defining.
It is a work of incredible technical complexity, offering thematic
layers that intermingle in difficult ways and instrumental applications
that are wildly creative, the latter in some cases rivaling Howard
Shore's music for Middle Earth. A crystal-clear recording exposes a
masterful job of utilizing each section of the orchestra in engaging
performance techniques, forcing performers in some cases to test the
limits of their instruments' capabilities. Very challenging dissonant
layers occupy significant sections, potentially harming the
accessibility of the overall work, but even in these tough passages,
Ottman maintains your interest with his textures. The other aspect of
Jack the Giant Slayer that will arrest listeners, as mentioned
before, is the plain fact that the score maintains traits that will, no
matter Ottman's intentions in this regard, remind listeners of the music
of John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, James Horner, Hans Zimmer,
Christopher Young, Danny Elfman, Alexandre Desplat, Alan Silvestri,
Craig Armstrong, and Brian Tyler, and this review will point to specific
instances where Ottman raises connections to each of those artists. Most
of these reminders come in Ottman's handling of secondary lines of
action during a cue or rhythmic motions and instrumental choices, and
none is poorly handled in such a way as to generate "temp track"
controversy. Instead, Ottman, either wittingly or otherwise, seems to
have handled Jack the Giant Slayer with his own favorite
composers in the same frame of mind that Tyler would probably allow.
There really is nothing to fret when a composer like Ottman, in the
process of intentionally seeking the orchestral adventure sound of a
previous generation, raises a significant dose of Goldsmith mannerisms.
Given that Ottman has had difficulty defining his own compositional
style after his early, deviously-natured 1990's successes, it may be
rewarding for some listeners to hear him channel more generic genre
tones into one wickedly powerful result.

Before launching into a discussion about the themes of
Jack the Giant Slayer, it's important to emphasize once again
that the instrumental colors of the score are the reason for its
success. The motifs themselves are not really that ingenious, and in
many ways, they aren't organized as well as they could have been, but
Ottman goes so overboard in fleshing out these ideas that their sheer
size and scope allow them to succeed anyway. You can tell from the
finished product that he had a few creative challenges when conjuring
the themes, because while they are applied consistently throughout, they
don't enunciate their intentions as well as they otherwise might have.
The press releases for the score indicate the four main themes of the
work, though that list doesn't entirely make sense when you compare it
to the finished product. What isn't to be questioned is the
attractiveness of Ottman's two very clearly delineated primary themes.
The first is the one for Jack, and it is here where the composer
struggled. Only when Singer pointed out a specific minor motif during a
scene with the character and asked for that idea to be expanded did this
main theme come to fruition, and by that point in the production
process, Ottman had to go back and change several cues in Jack the
Giant Slayer to utilize the theme. Fortunately, it's a great
barn-burner of a theme, roaring immediately out of the gates in the
opening "Jack and Isabelle (Theme from Jack the Giant Slayer)" track on
album. This concert-like performance until the 1:22 mark utilizes brass
techniques from both Williams (0:20 - 0:34) and Goldsmith (0:56 to 1:11)
and is so exuberant that it even allows a tambourine a few moments to
shine and features a traditional string interlude sequence. At 0:40 into
"Logo Mania," Ottman comes the closest to the deeper brass personality
of his Fantastic Four material with the theme, but he quickly
translates the idea for soothing violins and choir (then to woodwinds
and cello) early in "To Cloister." Faint references over troubled
atmosphere from 0:46 to 1:15 in "How Do You Do" are followed at 3:14
into "Story of the Giants" by the first of several quick, tacked-on
references of a partial phrase of the theme to end a suspenseful cue
(the same technique is heard in large choral form at the end of
"Roderick's Demise/The Beanstalk Falls"). Softer, melancholy renditions
exist on woodwinds and strings at 2:10 into "The Legends are True/First
Kiss," 2:35 into "Onward and Downward!," 2:13 into "Waking a Sleeping
Giant," and the start of "Goodbyes."

Ottman was successful in leaving listeners with strident
performances of his main Jack theme for Jack the Giant Slayer in
the final cues, referencing very bold fragments of the idea at 4:06 into
"Chase to Cloister" and throughout the first two minutes of "Sniffing
Out Fear/All is Lost" before savoring victory in redemptive, slow, and
pronounced performances during the first two minutes of "The New
King/Stories." Less of a presence at the end of the score,
unfortunately, is Ottman's love theme for the kidnapped princess,
Isabelle. It is introduced on harp at 1:23 into "Jack and Isabelle
(Theme from Jack the Giant Slayer)," an appropriate choice of instrument
given the historical role of the harp in the stories, before being
passed to woodwinds and then to the full ensemble in the remainder of
that track. Horner enthusiasts will appreciate Ottman's nod to that
composer's style of plaintive solo horn melodies mixed into that
equation. Thereafter, the theme is mostly adjoined to other ideas,
serving as a brief interlude to a rising fantasy motif at 0:24 into "The
Climb" and returning to the harp for twenty seconds at the start of "How
Do You Do" and faintly over dissonance at 1:20 into that same cue. The
theme enjoys slight but pretty interlude duty at 2:41 into "The Legends
are True/First Kiss" that may remind some listeners of Naoki Sato
sentimentality. Similarly, the idea occupies the last minute of
"Goodbyes" with subtlety and informs a unique waltz sequence in the
middle of "The New King/Stories." More obviously, weightier enunciation
of this theme might have helped the romantic aspect of the score, though
the fantasy nature of the remaining themes helps pick up the slack.
Among these is an idea that Ottman wrote for the crown, introduced with
mystical choral allure in "Power of the Crown." This cue eventually
builds to a stomping statement of resiliency that is lovely but slightly
evil in its major/minor-shifting tone. A variation of this idea is
explored at 2:27 into "Roderick's Demise/The Beanstalk Falls," with
immensely massive choral shades that remind of Young's bombastic
Hellraiser work. The religious tone continues from 4:29 to 4:55
into that same cue, by which time the theme has transformed into a full
requiem mass. That overwhelming expression of chime-banging, orchestral
and choral tone is reprised at 4:54 into "The Battle." More appealingly,
Ottman allows the theme to influence the villainous close to "The New
King/Stories," intertwining the idea as necessary with his underutilized
and somewhat nebulous idea for the antagonist, Roderick.

When exploring Ottman's musical identities for the various
villains of Jack the Giant Slayer, that's where you'll find the
score going awry in its attributions. While the rising four-note phrase
for Roderick, often accompanied by dulcimer accents, was reportedly
meant to be the score's fourth main theme, it doesn't announce its
presence effectively at any point. Its stomping notes of false nobility
occupy 0:49 to 1:03 in "Power of the Crown," are joined by the dulcimer
for ten seconds at 0:29 into "Roderick's Demise," and open the sinister
conclusion to "The New King/Stories" (at the 3:28 mark). It is naturally
connected to and almost completely usurped by Ottman's "phantom" major
theme in Jack the Giant Slayer, one that could represent many
general topics but seemingly accompanies the overarching battle between
humans and giants (and the lamentation caused that conflict). This
anthem-like theme is an effective but absolutely unmistakable insertion
of Zimmer methodology into the score, the introduction of this material
from 1:46 to 2:50 into "Story of the Giants" as pure a nod to a Zimmer
choral and brass anthem over string ostinatos that one can imagine, even
down to the overly-dramatic chord progressions. Softer variants of the
same idea follow at 0:25 into "The Legends are True," but fear not,
Zimmer fans, for Ottman returns to the anthem and ostinato format for
the theme at 0:52 into "Chase to Cloister," a cue that also features
this theme in massive form at 2:20 and accelerated even further at the
3:27 mark. One final blast of theme is explored at 1:53 into "The
Battle" over heroic snare before Ottman dissolves it into the stew of
evil that elegantly closes "The New King/Stories" (at 3:37). The giants
do have their own motif, though it's more of an instrumental technique
that can be applied to nearly any of the action cues without melodic
interruption. This striking of the taiko drums, first on the skin and
then with the typical "clack" of the sticks on the side, is, along with
other rowdy percussive banging, a predictable but very effective way of
addressing the giants, and ironically the most enjoyable performance of
the idea comes in the very last few seconds of score's magnificent
closing. The outstanding recording quality allows this somewhat tired
technique (it's became far too common over the course of the 2000's) to
still shine. Another minor motif exists for the beans, utilizing the
traditional glockenspiel and choral approach to denoting magic, though
don't expect this idea to become readily evident on album.

One of the consistent aspects of the score for Jack
the Giant Slayer that is both an asset and a liability is Ottman's
tendency to conjure somewhat orphaned offshoots of motifs and even
longer-lined themes. One of these is a robust action/adversity motif at
3:11 into "The Legends are True/First Kiss" and 3:37 into "Roderick's
Demise/The Beanstalk Falls" that sounds, quite humorously, like Brian
Tyler imitating Goldsmith's Rambo universe (which, of course,
actually happened). Likewise, Ottman unleashes a David Arnold-like
rising theme of grand optimism at 0:15 and 0:41 into "The Climb," only
to diminish the motif thereafter. Similarly, the beautiful waltz that
runs from 1:57 to 2:52 into "The New King/Stories" is a "Williams meets
Desplat" moment featuring dashing piano work that eventually morphs into
the love theme. Other singular highlights of Jack the Giant
Slayer don't involve themes, per se, but rather unique
instrumentation. The bassoons from 2:35 to the end of "Fee Appears"
groan with menacing delight, and the texture from flutes and percussion
in rambunctious action mode during "Story of the Giants" is exceptional.
Slamming percussion at 2:48 into "Why Do People Scream?" resurrects the
Mongolian material from Goldsmith's The Shadow. A distinct touch
of Williams' Raiders of the Lost Ark is exuded at 3:30 into
"Welcome to Gantua," and the maestro's Star Wars prequel action
mode (a Ewan McGregor connection?) is heard in the last 30 seconds of
"Not Wildly Keen on Heights." That latter cue also features the most
accessible, purely Ottman-like propulsive sequence at 1:20 (a la Hide
and Seek). From 1:06 to 1:20 in "Roderick's Demise," he borrows a
moment of ethereal Armstrong beauty. A rampaging triangle (yes!) during
a magnificent ensemble whole note at 2:21 into "Onward and Downward!" is
a great touch, as is an interlude of rhythmic percussion and brass at
1:53 into "Chase to Cloister," reminiscent of Silvestri's
Predator. The "Sniffing Out Fear/All is Lost" cue is full of
great brass clusters and percussive strikes, from Ottman's familiar
clicking effects to well-mixed cymbal tapping at 4:20 to accent one
powerful note. Finally, an Elfman moment emerges in the first 1:20 of
"Kitchen Nightmare," during which Ottman strays into a devious,
descending song melody with wicked lyrics for the giants as they prepare
a variation of soylent green for supper. Unfortunately, a sudden cut
from the song to continued score material somewhat ruins the album edit
of this humorous moment.

Much of Ottman's score for Jack the Giant Slayer
actually could be termed "wicked" in personality, and although the score
suffers from thematic enunciation issues, it's a wild and intelligent
ride overall. There will be listeners who will be turned off by the
clear connections between this work and the bevy of other composers'
triumphs. Having said that, however, it's difficult to imagine what else
could have resulted given Ottman's desire to revisit an older era of
symphonic mastery and his unfortunate loss of own individual writing
style through the 2000's. The same feeling resulted from Giacchino's
similar approach to Super 8 and, to a lesser extent, John
Carter. The fact that much of Jack the Giant Slayer ends up
resembling Raiders of the Lost Ark and First Knight in
style (but with much nastier layers of instrumental complexity) is not
necessarily a bad thing, and the Zimmer-like passages of meatier anthems
should not be pervasive enough to really ruin the whole for anyone.
Suckers for massive choral beauty will appreciate the streamlined
fantasy portions that Ottman brings to the table. You can hear the
machinations the composer was striving to fashion to achieve the same
kind of rambunctious, old-school adventure sound captured by Lockington
in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island and its predecessor, and
while Ottman's result is more intelligent in its incredible sonic
textures (and not yielding to the guilty pleasure of solo female
vocals), the muddy thematic connectivity in Jack the Giant Slayer
leaves it a small step behind. Composers do suffer from writer's block
when conjuring themes, and perhaps this admitted issue from Ottman
contributed to the somewhat unorganized spread of thematic performances
and enunciations in the final product. As mentioned before, though, this
is the kind of score that achieves a five-star rating despite its
thematic drawbacks, if only because Ottman, just as he proved in the
late 1990's with scores like Incognito and Goodbye Lover,
is a proven professional at his instrumental textures. Even when
incredibly unpleasant in its harmonies, this score is a wonder to
behold. The "Fee Appears" cue alone is a marvel of orchestration. As
such, it's a travesty that this score was initially distributed in only
MP3 form, because as reviewed here from resounding, lossless masters,
the sound quality is easily a highlight of the work. A perfect amount of
reverb and incredible spread across the soundscape elevate Jack the
Giant Slayer to great heights, cementing it as one of Ottman's most
impressive career achievements. *****@Amazon.com: CD or
Download

Bias Check:

For John Ottman reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is 3.15
(in 34 reviews)and the average viewer rating is 2.97
(in 18,780 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.